Deerhoof – The Garage, London – 4/5/11
4/5
By: Thomas Hannan
“What is it about.... London... more than anywhere else... that makes the... shows... so... saturated with.... complete... joy?”
In a rare step forward toward the microphone whilst his band (and there are many reasons you could class Deerhoof as his band) tune up, drummer Greg Saunier slowly unleashes this peculiarly delivered but heartfelt appreciation for the crowds of our nation’s capital. London audiences are not renowned for being overly enthusiastic about touring bands – they are, after all, completely spoiled for choice pretty much every night of the week. Most US acts who make their way over here expect a lot from their London shows but end up getting far more love from the people of Bristol, Leeds, Birmingham... places where you don’t get to see Deerhoof on a bill three times a year. Deerhoof and LDN, however, seem to have really struck a chord with one another.
Whilst it’s difficult to view Saunier’s comments as anything other than sincere (Deerhoof really are so fucking nice), you can certainly imagine him saying it to every audience on the tour. This is said not out of coy “I bet you say that to every city!” romanticism, but because it’s baffling that one town would have more love for Deerhoof than another. Simply, what isn’t there to adore about this band?
We have here a supernaturally endearing quartet of rock musicians, one whose live show is infectiously good natured. Yet bands who play gigs and come across as really wholesome people to this extent are usually peddling infuriatingly twee indie pop, the sort of music that – despite singer Satomi Matsuzaki’s shrill vocals and worryingly regular lyrical nods to the animal kingdom – couldn’t be more removed from the prog-punk masterclass that Deerhoof roll out this and every evening. Our collective love of watching Deerhoof stems from the fact that Deerhoof love being in Deerhoof.
Whilst this playfulness is of course evident on their records, live, it’s multiplied tenfold. Anyone who thinks that they should tone down the freak out moments and concentrate on the hooks on the LPs could certainly do with witnessing the quartet’s work in the flesh – their more obtuse sections are the ones delivered with the biggest grins and vigour, the choruses played with a comparatively out of breath quality that suggests they in fact can’t wait to get on and play the next totally insane bit, rather than get to grips with a good old hook.
Tonight’s setlist is as eclectic as their influences are broad, with songs from this year’s pretty-great-but-not-astounding tenth album Deerhoof Vs. Evil working much better when heard in a live setting alongside tunes from their total masterpiece Friend Opportunity, old favourites from Milk Man, and a ballsy Ramones cover. Not just in musicianship and songwriting, but certainly in making a crowd have a wonderful time without needing to dumb down what makes them so intriguing in the first place, there are few bands on the planet who couldn’t learn a thing or two from Deerhoof.
Artists in this article: Deerhoof
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